First meeting by 2020 Summer Olympics bid committee held in Hiroshima
Nov. 4, 2009
by Hiroki Takigawa, Staff Writer
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki held the first meeting of the 2020 Summer Olympics bid committee at Hiroshima City Hall on October 31. The city of Kitakyushu officially joined the committee under the condition that it will not become a joint host city. The city of Fukuoka attended the meeting in an advisor capacity. The committee will decide by next spring whether or not to submit a bid, after examining a variety of issues including financial resources and the possibility of multiple cities hosting the Olympics, a concept not recognized under the Olympic Charter.
The meeting was attended by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, and Kitakyusyu Deputy Mayor Kaichi Hashimoto, who took part on behalf of Mayor Kenji Kitahashi. From the city of Fukuoka, Hideo Kawashima, director of the Sports Division, and one other official sat in on the meeting. Mayor Akiba told the participants, "I'm grateful for your support of our dream to host the Olympics in our cities to commemorate the abolition of nuclear weapons, which we hope to achieve by 2020."
At the meeting, Mayor Akiba was elected chairman of the committee and Mayor Taue vice chairman. The secretariat office of the committee listed the various issues that must be examined, such as the possibility of multiple cities hosting the Games, ensuring support from the national government, developing the necessary facilities, finding financial backing, establishing a support system of sports organizations, dividing roles among the host cities and securing accommodations.
Mayor Taue emphasized, "Our main mission is proposing a new form of Olympic Games, instead of emulating the ones in the past." Deputy Mayor Hashimoto added, "We should make it clear that our idea for the significance of the 2020 Olympics is not to boost national prestige but to contribute to the elimination of nuclear weapons and the cause of world peace."
The city of Omura in Nagasaki Prefecture has also expressed interest in joining the committee. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will call on not only neighboring governments, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Osaka Prefectural Government and other bodies that have acknowledged the significance of holding the Olympics in the A-bombed cities, for their participation or support.
(Originally published on November 1, 2009)
Related articles
Bid for Olympic Games as a Celebration of Peace, Part 1 (Oct. 19, 2009)
Mayor Akiba visits Japanese Olympic Committee to express interest in hosting Olympics (Oct. 15, 2009)
Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki announce interest in hosting 2020 Olympics (Oct. 14, 2009)
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki held the first meeting of the 2020 Summer Olympics bid committee at Hiroshima City Hall on October 31. The city of Kitakyushu officially joined the committee under the condition that it will not become a joint host city. The city of Fukuoka attended the meeting in an advisor capacity. The committee will decide by next spring whether or not to submit a bid, after examining a variety of issues including financial resources and the possibility of multiple cities hosting the Olympics, a concept not recognized under the Olympic Charter.
The meeting was attended by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, and Kitakyusyu Deputy Mayor Kaichi Hashimoto, who took part on behalf of Mayor Kenji Kitahashi. From the city of Fukuoka, Hideo Kawashima, director of the Sports Division, and one other official sat in on the meeting. Mayor Akiba told the participants, "I'm grateful for your support of our dream to host the Olympics in our cities to commemorate the abolition of nuclear weapons, which we hope to achieve by 2020."
At the meeting, Mayor Akiba was elected chairman of the committee and Mayor Taue vice chairman. The secretariat office of the committee listed the various issues that must be examined, such as the possibility of multiple cities hosting the Games, ensuring support from the national government, developing the necessary facilities, finding financial backing, establishing a support system of sports organizations, dividing roles among the host cities and securing accommodations.
Mayor Taue emphasized, "Our main mission is proposing a new form of Olympic Games, instead of emulating the ones in the past." Deputy Mayor Hashimoto added, "We should make it clear that our idea for the significance of the 2020 Olympics is not to boost national prestige but to contribute to the elimination of nuclear weapons and the cause of world peace."
The city of Omura in Nagasaki Prefecture has also expressed interest in joining the committee. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will call on not only neighboring governments, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Osaka Prefectural Government and other bodies that have acknowledged the significance of holding the Olympics in the A-bombed cities, for their participation or support.
(Originally published on November 1, 2009)
Related articles
Bid for Olympic Games as a Celebration of Peace, Part 1 (Oct. 19, 2009)
Mayor Akiba visits Japanese Olympic Committee to express interest in hosting Olympics (Oct. 15, 2009)
Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki announce interest in hosting 2020 Olympics (Oct. 14, 2009)
